# Why use distilled water with shot glass seasoning?



## Ready2Rip (Jun 6, 2011)

In virtually all of the humidor seasoning threads I've read, it is suggested that you _must_ use distilled water in the shot glass or on the sponge placed on a dish.

I could understand why you wouldn't use tap water in the humidor foam filter, beads, or by wiping down the inside of the box. But what's the difference between evaporated distilled water and evaporated tap water? Neither of them contain minerals, right?

Thanks in advance!


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

Tap water has lots of unknowns in it that may promote the growth of mold.

DW is safer.


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## Ready2Rip (Jun 6, 2011)

David_ESM said:


> Tap water has lots of unknowns in it that may promote the growth of mold.
> 
> DW is safer.


But if you boil tap water with all of the unknowns, you get distilled water. How is evaporated tap water any different?


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

For most people it is a matter of convenience... Why bother boiling your water at home and collecting the steam when you can buy a bottle of DW for a buck?


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Ready
It might be wise to introduce yourself at the "New Puffer" thread
before starting new threads......A lot of folks here are willing to help when they know a little about you....

Just a suggestion.....


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## Ready2Rip (Jun 6, 2011)

David_ESM said:


> For most people it is a matter of convenience... Why bother boiling your water at home and collecting the steam when you can buy a bottle of DW for a buck?


I'm not suggesting making your own distilled water, as you'd spend more in heating costs than you would in buying it at the store.

My point was specifically related to seasoning with the shot glass or sponge method using tap water. The evaporated water that comes off of a tap water shot glass is the same as if you used distilled water. If anyone has evidence to the contrary, I would be most interested.

Thanks again.


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## Bunner (Apr 5, 2011)

really you can get mold (possibly from the water) but the environment anywhere. I used RO/DI water and got mold in the container that i placed it in. just an FYI boiled water is not distilled. Distilled water is recondensed from steam. Which in effect removes the solubilized extra "stuff". If you just boil it it will kill microbes.


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

Bunner said:


> just an FYI boiled water is not distilled. Distilled water is recondensed from steam. Which in effect removes the solubilized extra "stuff". If you just boil it it will kill microbes.


That's why I said boil the water and collect the steam. :thumb:


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Most tap water also had chlorine.......it smells..


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

Chlorine will evaporate into the air with the tap water as well. No bueno.


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## Bunner (Apr 5, 2011)

mucho no bueno.


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## Ready2Rip (Jun 6, 2011)

David_ESM said:


> Chlorine will evaporate into the air with the tap water as well. No bueno.


Ding, ding, ding! Chlorine was the answer I overlooked, thanks guys! Chlorine has a boiling point less than water, and apparently water distillers have methods to capture that so it doesn't make it into their final product.

Great forum! I'm learning more every day.


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

Boiling water doesn't create distilled water. At least, not entirely. Distilled water is evaporated and condensed, thereby eliminating impurities. Boiling water can kill living organisms, but it does nothing to rid the water of minerals and other nutrients that organisms feed on. Therefore, the mold spores that are already floating around in your humidor might find a pleasant place to take "root" in a shotglass of tap water. Less so in distilled water.


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## HectorL (Oct 20, 2010)

Mucho no bueno brochacho...


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

There is a reason why Distilled Water is used...there is a difference between it and other water(s)...why go through all of the hassle of boiling or making science experiments when it sells for under $1 at the store and lasts for a year? just askin


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## Ready2Rip (Jun 6, 2011)

Cigary said:


> There is a reason why Distilled Water is used...there is a difference between it and other water(s)...why go through all of the hassle of boiling or making science experiments when it sells for under $1 at the store and lasts for a year? just askin


I never suggested boiling water. I didn't have distilled water on hand and wanted to know why I shouldn't use tap water instead in the shot glass. Sorry if I upset anyone.


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Ready2Rip said:


> I never suggested boiling water. I didn't have distilled water on hand and wanted to know why I shouldn't use tap water instead in the shot glass. Sorry if I upset anyone.


Relax pardner...don't know how you can make a leap that far based on one little post of an answer. We try on here to cover all things so you can get an accurate answer...I guess I could have said.....sure, why not? Use whatever kind of water you'd like...even toilet water works as long as it was flushed beforehand.:smoke2:


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## Ready2Rip (Jun 6, 2011)

Cigary said:


> Relax pardner...don't know how you can make a leap that far based on one little post of an answer. We try on here to cover all things so you can get an accurate answer...I guess I could have said.....sure, why not? Use whatever kind of water you'd like...even toilet water works as long as it was flushed beforehand.:smoke2:


It's all good. I got the scientific answer i was looking for. Ended up going with bilge water, though. ; )

I appreciate the insight!


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## Snagged (Aug 20, 2010)

Ready2Rip said:


> It's all good. I got the scientific answer i was looking for. Ended up going with bilge water, though. ; )
> 
> I appreciate the insight!


If chlorine is the only concern you have that keeps you from using tap water, you can let that shot glass full of tap water sit overnight, and the chlorine will evaporate out of it.


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Tap water has minerals, contaminates and a certain about of living organisms such as bacteria, viruses, and spores (yeast, mold). They are below the regulated amounts and the levels are set to protect the most vulnerable population (kids) but they are present. 
You place that in a closed environment that's stable in temp with good humidity, well........does something happen every time? No, but add in the organic cigars and sooner rather than later you're going to have something detrimental happen.
Distilled water has has even lower amounts with no organisms present only trace amounts of "acceptable" minerals. Makes for a increased reduction in something adverse happening.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

piperdown said:


> Tap water has minerals, contaminates and a certain about of living organisms such as bacteria, viruses, and spores (yeast, mold). They are below the regulated amounts and the levels are set to protect the most vulnerable population (kids) but they are present.
> You place that in a closed environment that's stable in temp with good humidity, well........does something happen every time? No, but add in the organic cigars and sooner rather than later you're going to have something detrimental happen.
> Distilled water has has even lower amounts with no organisms present only trace amounts of "acceptable" minerals. Makes for a increased reduction in something adverse happening.


Eric has put this to bed nicely........


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## Ready2Rip (Jun 6, 2011)

asmartbull said:


> Eric has put this to bed nicely........


Agreed!


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Do a test for yourself. Take two tupperware containers of equal size. Fill one 1/4 full with tap water and the other 1/4 full with DW. Allow to sit at room temperature for 3wks. Open, smell and feel with your fingers. The container with the tap water will feel "slimy". The other will feel like moist plastic. The tap water will have an odor and the DW will not. (Analogies to female anatomy NOT welcomed.)

The average tap dispenses a product that is in the neighborhood of 4-600ppm. DW is, on average, about 11ppm.


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Do a test for yourself. Take two tupperware containers of equal size. Fill one 1/4 full with tap water and the other 1/4 full with DW. Allow to sit at room temperature for 3wks. Open, smell and feel with your fingers. The container with the tap water will feel "slimy". The other will feel like moist plastic. The tap water will have an odor and the DW will not. (Analogies to female anatomy NOT welcomed.)
> 
> The average tap dispenses a product that is in the neighborhood of 4-600ppm. DW is, on average, about 11ppm.


Wow - there's a word for this ... what is it ... let's see ... ummmm ... wait a minute ... I think it's coming to me ... oh, yeah:

EEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!


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## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Tritones said:


> Wow - there's a word for this ... what is it ... let's see ... ummmm ... wait a minute ... I think it's coming to me ... oh, yeah:
> 
> EEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!


Oh, come on now. Anyone who's ever filled a cooler on Friday with ice and beer, exhausted the beer, allowed the ice to melt and left it til the following weekend to empty, has experienced this.


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## Xodar (Mar 4, 2011)

Herf N Turf said:


> Oh, come on now. Anyone who's ever filled a cooler on Friday with ice and beer, exhausted the beer, allowed the ice to melt and left it til the following weekend to empty, has experienced this.


Sure, but I thought that was from the lonely hot dog still floating arround in the water...

Which now has me wondering if I cleaned my cooler out weekend before last .


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Oh, come on now. Anyone who's ever filled a cooler on Friday with ice and beer, exhausted the beer, allowed the ice to melt and left it til the following weekend to empty, has experienced this.


1) I've never done that. Now I know why.

2) The beer/ice/Friday combination makes no mention of cigars. Much of the EEEEEEWWWWW factor comes from the thought of that slime near my cigars.

3) I've never done that. Now I don't have to try it.

4) See 1 and 3, and most especially I am NEVER going to try it in relation to 2.

5) All of the above.


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

This should be a wrap on trying to use regular tap water in reference to our cigars. I thought ( this is what I get for thinking ) everybody was aware of this but it seems as though there is still those out there who do not and this should be a sticky ( if there isn't one out there already that talks about DW/Tap Water.)


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## RockDevil (Jun 23, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Oh, come on now. Anyone who's ever filled a cooler on Friday with ice and beer, exhausted the beer, allowed the ice to melt and left it til the following weekend to empty, has experienced this.


Haha, quoted for truth!!!


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## fjrabon (Jun 9, 2011)

I think a lot of people were kind of missing the OP's point, which is that "impurities" won't evaporate, which is what is doing the "seasoning" in the shot glass method, you're not actually touching the tap water to your humidor, you're letting the water evaporate and and be absorbed into your humidor. As noted, the problem is that chlorine does evaporate and there is lots of chlorine in tap water, os if you use tap water your humidor will absorb a lot of chlorine. 

But all the "ewwwwww" things wouldn't evaporate into the humidor with the shotglass method. They'd stay int he bottom of the shotglass. This is why there is a film on your glass if you let tap water evaporate out of it. Chlorine is really your only worry with the shotglass method of seasoning.


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